Jon Arason: When did outrage become the national pastime?

After 27 years of service as the city's planning and zoning director, Jon Arason stands in Acton's Landing park in Annapolis, on the site of the former hospital. (Baltimore Sun Media Group)

America is outraged! Outrage is everywhere, especially among and being stoked by public persons — pundits, politicians, radio and TV hosts. Imagine waking up one morning to a day without outrage. The sun would shine a little sunnier, the birds would chirp a little chirpier and your eggs would taste a little, well, eggier. We almost had a day like that once.

I remember a couple of years ago: The day began and no one was outraged. Newspaper columns focused on how to make the world a better place. No one was screaming through the TV set. The radio gave the news and weather.

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It was great until someone on TV worked himself into a lather and blurted out that he was outraged that nobody was outraged. And so began another day of outrage about the fact that nobody was outraged. I never found out what I was supposed to be outraged about. Not that I really care.

One of our latest spasms of national outrage is about football players taking a knee during the “Star-Spangled Banner.” One of my favorite plays in football is my quarterback taking a knee while the clock runs out. Apparently the outrage begins when a quarterback takes a knee before the clock starts.

So people are getting outraged about Americans exercising their right to disagree with the direction this country is heading. I don’t get it. I may or may not disagree with the sentiment behind the protest, but it doesn’t affect me or my feelings toward anthem, flag or country. I suppose I could whip myself into a frenzy or let myself be whipped up into full-blown outrage, but what good would it do?

The U.S. code has a section devoted to proper respect for the flag. According to the code, it is disrespectful to carry the flag in a horizontal position — it should be “aloft and free.” Ever seen an NFL game? A football-field-sized flag is carried out horizontally. Where’s the outrage?

The flag should never be used as wearing apparel. Ever seen a political rally? Where’s the outrage? There are American flag ties, neckerchiefs and do-rags — where’s the outrage? There are people wiping barbecue sauce off their chins with American flag napkins on Independence Day. Where’s the outrage?

I’m starting to think that far too many Americans are sitting around their living rooms waiting for someone to tell them what to be outraged about. Waiting to be outraged may be our real national pastime.

I’ve heard and read many comments that football players make a lot of money and should therefore should just shut up and show respect for the flag. These are interesting comments. I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out at what income level the outraged would have you lose your First Amendment rights.

The minimum salary for an NFL rookie this year is $465,000. So maybe this is the cut-off, bearing in mind that the minimum salary increases by $15,000 a year. So next year you’d have to make $480,000 to lose your freedom of speech. The problem is that a lot of the people on radio and TV exercising their freedom of speech trying to whip us into a state of outrage make considerably more than an NFL rookie.

If there is an income cutoff for losing one constitutional right, is it the same for others? Would the outraged have you lose your right to bear arms? The salary of Wayne LaPierre, the CEO of the National Rifle Association, is close to a million a year.

Would you the outraged have you lose your right to avoid self-incrimination or receive just compensation for a government taking of your property if you make a lot of money? For some reason I don’t think so.